Head of IMDb Premium Advertising and Creative Studio
Riel Phillips, Head of IMDb Premium Advertising and Creative Studio, leads a team of designers driving revenue through digital advertising. Born in Trinidad and Tobago and raised in the States from age six, Riel brings a “stay hungry” mentality to everything he does. He’s learned that great management, like parenting his two kids, means understanding each person’s individual strengths rather than treating everyone the same. Every Tuesday morning, he hits the jiu-jitsu mat before work to release stress and sharpen his focus, but jiu-jitsu has taught him something deeper: the importance of identifying the gap between where you are and where you want to be, then constantly working to close it. That philosophy extends to his team—he hires smart people, stays patient, and learns from them. Most importantly, he practices radical empathy by regularly asking himself, “what would it be like to be this person?” That simple exercise transforms how he sees every situation and makes him a better leader.
Watch the full video to hear more about Riel’s journey from Trinidad to leading one of IMDb’s most creative teams, and discover how the lessons from the mat translate to building exceptional design work.
